Ford Racing Program Management Analyst

Ford • Allen Park, MI

4d • $99,100 - $166,200 • Hybrid

About The Position

Ford Racing (based in Allen Park, MI) is hiring a Program Management Analyst to help turn standard Ford vehicles into high-performance models. It's a small, fast-moving team, so this individual-contributor role carries broader responsibility than a typical PM position, potentially spanning multiple pillars like program planning, program control, studio, prototype, and launch, rather than being split across several people. This position requires leading through influence (not authority), sound judgment, and the ability to push cross-functional teams toward decisions and issue resolution. The role works closely with Engineering, Studio, Marketing, Manufacturing, New Model Programs, Finance, Purchasing, Logistics, Capacity Planning, and Launch teams. Depending on program needs and the candidate's experience, duties may cover multiple PM disciplines simultaneously rather than one narrow workstream.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree in an Engineering discipline or any other discipline with Program Manager experience.
• 3+ years of experience in automotive product development, program management, design and release, manufacturing engineering, plant vehicle operations, or launch
• Strong knowledge of vehicle development milestones, deliverables, and program management disciplines
• Strong critical thinking, prioritization, and organizational skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive issues to closure without direct authority
• Ability to consolidate diverse inputs and develop a clear point of view and recommendation
• Resilience, adaptability, and a strong ownership mindset

Nice To Haves

• Powertrain unit program planning and delivery experience
• Experience leading cross-functional vehicle programs from concept through launch
• Previous Design & Release or other technical engineering experience
• Experience with prototype builds, launch execution, and change management disciplines

Responsibilities

• Serve as a key program integrator across current and forward model Ford Racing programs
• Lead cross-functional alignment across planning, control, studio, prototype, and launch activities
• Drive delivery of program milestones, assumptions, timing, and issue resolution from concept through production
• Develop and communicate clear program recommendations, status, risks, and recovery actions to leadership
• Lead through influence across multiple organizations without direct authority
• Lead or support development of Product Direction Letters, including features, options, and color/material content
• Interface with Marketing, Planning, Engineering, and Finance to support business case development, product content decisions, and offering strategy
• Support development of milestone papers, special studies, and key program assumptions
• Facilitate program assumption reviews and related cross-functional meetings
• Own or support program timing, workplans, GPDS deliverables, and program health reporting
• Lead core program forums such as Program Steering Team meetings, decision forums, and milestone readiness reviews
• Coordinate sourcing readiness, including part and tool order tracking, in partnership with Purchasing
• Lead or support complexity, capacity, and milestone readiness activities
• Manage engineering changes, gateway readiness, and follow-up actions to closure
• Co-lead Appearance Approval Forum meetings and key studio milestone reviews
• Lead Color Harmony and Appearance Approval Report processes
• Lead Color & Material Product Direction Letter development
• Drive cross-functional issue resolution for studio feasibility, appearance, and content decisions
• Lead prototype build planning and vehicle build execution from prototype through production readiness
• Manage launch-related issue identification, change control, escalation, and recovery tracking
• Support plant-facing and product development launch issue resolution processes
• Drive robust implementation of changes needed to support timing, quality, and launch readiness

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level